Halo 3
Halo 3 is a first-person shooter video game, based on the scifi events and settings in the Halo Universe. You play as a the last known Spartan (apart from the one that Doctor Halsley took with her). It was developed by Bungie Studios and published by Microsoft. Halo 3 was released on September 25th, 2007 exclusively for the Xbox 360. Although it is rumoured to be coming out on Windows late 2009-early 2010. Plot The storyline begins several weeks after the events of Halo 2. SPARTAN-117 enters Earth's atmosphere and crash lands in an east African jungle. After being retrieved by Sergeant Major Avery Johnson, the Arbiter, and a small group of Marines, the group makes their way through the jungle toward a extraction point. Covenant forces are sighted in the area and Johnson makes a strategic decision to split the group up to reduce their chances of getting spotted. SPARTAN-117 and the Arbiter continue on their way to the extraction zone with the second squad, fighting off numerous Covenant troops in the process, but upon reaching the extraction zone, Avery Johnson's Pelican group consisting of two Pelicans, are ambushed and shot down by Banshees. Johnson and his men are then captured and taken prisoner by a number of Brutes led by a Gravity Hammer-wielding Chieftain. The Master Chief, Arbiter, and company fight their way through hordes of enemies and eventually rescue them, after which a Pelican arrives and picks them up. The Pelican brings them to Crow's Nest which is used as a local base of operations by the UNSC. Here, Commander Miranda Keyes and Lord Hoo] plan a last-ditch effort to stop the Covenant from activating a Forerunner artifact uncovered outside the ruins of the city of New Mombasa. Their plan is to have the Master Chief with a small group of marines to punch a hole in Truth's anti air defense, so that Lord Hood can initiate a low level strike on the artifact. Their planning is quickly interrupted when power is cut and the Prophet of Truth broadcasts an announcement to all surviving human forces that their doom is inevitable. Soon after that, the Covenant Loyalist discovers the facility and mount a heavy assault. After a brief struggle, the outpost is lost and is blown by a bomb activated by SPARTAN-117. Deep underground, the Master Chief regroups with the surviving Marines and makes his way into the African City of Voi, Kenya via the Tsavo Highway. Shortly afterwards, SPARTAN-117 along with a handful of Marines destroy all Covenant anti-air defenses so that Lord Hood can lead the last of Earth's frigates against Truth and the artifact. As Hood mounts his attack on Prophet, Truth activates the artifact and creates an enormous slipspace portal, into which all the Covenant ships retreat. At the same time, a Covenant cruiser controlled by the Floodhad broken through the Elite's Quarantine of High Charity and arrived suddenly via slipspace and crashes into Voi, and the parasite quickly spreads throughout the entire city. As the Human forces attempt to fight the infestation, many are infected by the Flood. The Covenant Separatists lead by Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum, arrives at Earth and assists the struggle against the infestation. The Elites inform Commander Keyes that a UNSC construct is aboard the crashed Flood ship, and identified it as Cortana. After retrieving Cortana, SPARTAN-117 returned to the Shadow of Intent to oversee the repairs made by 343 Guilty Spark. However, it is only a recorded message from her. Cortana informs that the Gravemind is coming to Earth with an army of Flood, and that on the other side is a solution to the Flood infestation, without having to fire the rings. Lord Hood questions Cortana's plan, assuming that it could be a Flood trap, but SPARTAN-117 firmly tells Hood that he trusts her. Lord Hood remained on Earth to defend it against the incoming Flood invasion while Commander Keyes and the Elites journeys through the Portal. Arriving at the Ark, the Covenant Separatist engages on the Covenant Loyalist fleet while the UNSC launches a ground campaign. After landing on the Ark, 343 Guilty Spark helps lead Master Chief and UNSC forces to the Ark's Cartographer, the map room of the Ark, to locate the Control Room of the Ark. In order to access the Control Room, the UNSC and the Covenant Separatists must deactivate three shield generators which are inside three separate towers. While SPARTAN-117 and the Arbiter succeed in deactivating the first and second towers, Johnson radios Keyes, telling her that he must retreat due to the heavy enemy assault. When SPARTAN-117 and the Elites arrived to the third tower, Johnson and his men are nowhere to be seen. After the final shield barrier protecting the Control Room deactivates, the Flood-infested High Charity arrives via slip-space and crashes onto the Ark, releasing Flood Dispersal Pods as it falls. After handling with the nearby infestation, SPARTAN-117 leads the remaining UNSC and surviving Elite forces via armoured vehicles in an assault on the Citadel containing the Control Room, which is heavily defended by Covenant Loyalist forces. Once inside the Citadel, Truth broadcast his sermon and reveals the captured Johnson to his followers. Just as Truth is about to force Johnson to activate the rings, Keyes crashes into the Control Room using a pelican. Knowing she can't kill all of the Brutes, Keyes realizes that she must kill Johnson and herself to stop the rings from being activated. From behind, Truth fires several Spiker rounds at Keyes and then pushes Johnson's hand down on the Ark's terminal, activating all of the remaining Halos in the galaxy. Just as SPARTAN-117 and the Arbiter reach the top, two Flood Tank Forms confront them. Gravemind, through the two Flood forms, urges the two to join forces in stopping the initiation of the Halos and Truth. With the Flood's help, SPARTAN-117 and the Arbiter slaughtered all the Covenant forces defending Truth. Upon arrival to the Ark's Control Terminal, they find Johnson mourning over Keyes' dead body, and Truth partially infected. The Arbiter, after a short confrontation with Truth over the truth of the Halos, executes Truth with his Energy Sword, while the Master Chief deactivates all the Halos. Shortly after the deactivation of the Halos, the Gravemind betrays them and prevent the duo from escaping. The duo manage to escape from the Citadel via access hole near the elevator they used earlier. SPARTAN-117 then experience hallucinations of Cortana and follows the figure to a control panel. He then activated the panel, surprised to see that the Ark is manufacturing a replacement Halo in the event of one being destroyed. Knowing that the threat of the Flood is undeniably apocalyptic, SPARTAN-117 decides he will activate the new Halo. Needing an Index in order to fire the ring, SPARTAN-117 journeys into the crashed High Charity and fights against the Flood to retrieve Cortana (knowing that she still has the Index she acquired from Installation 04). Once retrieved, Cortana instructs the Spartan to overload High Charity's engines in order to destroy the Gravemind. The Arbiter arrives via Banshee to assist the Spartan in fighting the Flood. The two escaped from High Charity before it explodes using a damaged but still flyable Pelican. The surviving Elites and UNSC personnel return to Earth, leaving only Sergeant Johnson, SPARTAN-117 with Cortana and the Arbiter to make their way to the new Halo. As they make their way to the new Halo's Control Room, Flood forms arrive via Flood Dispersal Pods to prevent the activation of the Halo. From here, they quickly discover that Gravemind is attempting to reconstruct itself on the new Halo. As Sergeant Johnson tries to activate the Halo, 343 Guilty Spark fires his defensive laser at him after realizing that it will destroy the installation. The Monitor then turns against the Spartan and blast the Arbiter out of the Control Room, leaving the Spartan to destroy Guilty Spark himself. SPARTAN-117 successfully destroys the Monitor with the Spartan Laser and tried to mend Johnson. Mortally wounded, Johnson urged the Spartan to send him out "with a bang". With the Halo activated, SPARTAN-117 and the Arbiter race towards the frigate Forward Unto Dawn using Johnson's Warthog. With no time to reach the cockpit, the Master Chief uploads Cortana into the frigate to start taking off before the Arbiter is able to take the controls. The front half of the Dawn, containing the Arbiter, makes it through the portal. However, as Halo shakes itself to pieces during its firing sequence and damages the Ark, the portal deactivates before the other half of the Dawn containing Chief and Cortana made it through. Back on Earth, Lord Hood holds a memorial service in honor for those who died in the Human-Covenant War, with the Arbiter and many Marines in attendance. With Truth dead, the Covenant destroyed, and the Flood wiped out, the long and devastating war is finally over. Though he says he can never forgive the Arbiter for what the Covenant did to the human race, Lord Hood sincerely thanks him for standing by the Master Chief until the end. After the service, the Covenant Separatist returned to their home planet. Then, credits rolls. After the credits, it is revealed that SPARTAN-117 and Cortana are still alive aboard the rear section of the Dawn'', which had apparently torn off before going through the portal. The Spartan floats to a cryotube and as he climbs in, Cortana comments "I'll miss you." He replies "Wake me, when you need me." If the last level is completed on Legendary difficulty, the section of Forward Unto Dawn that Cortana and the Chief are aboard is seen drifting towards an unknown planet. Weapons United Nations Space Command Standard *MA5C Individual Combat Weapon System (Assault Rifle) *BR55HB SR Battle Rifle (Battle Rifle) *M6G Personal Defense Weapon System (Magnum) *M7/Caseless Submachine Gun (SMG) *M9 Fragmentation Grenade|M9 HE-DP Fragmentation Grenade (Frag Grenade) *M41 SSR MAV/AW|M41 SSR MAV/AW Rocket Launcher (Rocket Launcher) *M90 Close Assault Weapon System (Shotgun) *SRS99D-S2 AM Sniper Rifle (Sniper Rifle) *Weapon/Anti-Vehicle Model 6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle (Spartan Laser) Support *AIE-486H Heavy Machine Gun (Machine Gun Turret) *LAU-65D/SGM-151 (Missile Pod) *M7057/Defoliant Projector (Flamethrower) Covenant Standard *Type-1 Antipersonnel Grenade (Plasma Grenade) *Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword (Energy Sword) *Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol (Plasma Pistol) *Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle (Plasma Rifle) *Type-26 ASG|Type-26 Anti-Personal Stationary Gun (Shade) *Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher (Needler) *Type-33 Light Anti-Armor Weapon (Fuel Rod Gun) *Type-50 Sniper Rifle System (Beam Rifle) *Type-51 Carbine (Covenant Carbine) Support *Type-52 Directed Energy Support Weapon (Plasma turret) Brute *Type-2 Antipersonnel Fragmentation Grenade (Spike Grenade) *Type-2 Energy Weapon/Hammer (Gravity Hammer) *Type-3 Antipersonnel/Antimatériel Incendiary Grenade (Incendiary Grenade) *Type-25 Carbine (Spiker) *Type-25 Grenade Launcher (Brute Shot) *Type-52 Pistol (Mauler) Forerunner *Sentinel Beam Equipment *Bubble Shie *Power Drain *Trip Mine *Portable Grav Lift *Radar Jammer - Removed from Matchmaking *Flare - Removed from Matchmaking *Regenerator *Deployable Cover - Not in Matchmaking by default *Invincibility - Campaign only *Automated Turret - Campaign only *Cloaking - Campaign only *Active Camouflage - Multiplayer only (similar to Cloaking) *Overshield - Multiplayer only (similar to Invincibility) *Custom Power Up - Multiplayer only Vehicles UNSC Standard *Behemoth-class Troop Transport (Elephant) *AV-14 Hornet (Hornet) *Warthog#M12 Warthog LRV|M12 Warthog LRV (Chaingun Warthog) *M12G1 Warthog LAAV (Gauss Warthog) *M274 Mongoose ULATV (Mongoose) *M808B Scorpion MBT (Scorpion) *M831 TT Warthog|M831 Troop Transport (Troop Transport Warthog) Non-usable *UNSCShip|Forward Unto Dawn (FFG-201) *UNSCShip|Aegis Fate (FFG-307) *D77H-TCI Pelican Dropship *Albatross|Albatross Heavy Dropship *C709 Longsword-class Starfighter|C709 Longsword Fighter-Interceptor Covenant Standard *Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft (Banshee) *Type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle (Ghost) *Type-25 Wraith (Wraith) *Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Artillery (Anti-air Wraith) Brute *Type-25 Rapid Assault Vehicle (Brute Chopper) *Type-52 Infantry Support Vehicle (Brute Prowler) Non-Usable *Assault Carrier *CCS-class Battlecruiser *Forerunner Dreadnought *Covenant Seraph-Class Starfighter *Type-47 Ultra Heavy Assault Platform (Scarab) *Type-52 Troop Carrier (Phantom) Multiplayer Maps Original Maps (The ones that came with the game) On release, Halo 3 was released with 11 multiplayer maps that could be played over Xbox Live. Halo 3 has the smallest number of multiplayer maps released on launch, as Halo: Combat Evolved had 13, and Halo 2 had 12. To combat this lack of maps, many players customized the maps using the new feature, Forge. The Maps Epilogue, Sand Tarp, Boundless and Pit Stop are official re-edited maps by Bungie, which include small changes like the removal of shield doors, weapon spawns and vehicle spawns. *'Sandtrap''' *'Construct' *'Epitah' *'Guardian' *'High Ground' *'Isolation' *'Last Resort' *'Narrows' *'Snowbound' *'The Pit' *'Valhala' Cold Storage This map is downloadable through Xbox Live Marketplace for free and is the seventh downloadable map for Halo 3. It was released on 07/07/08, Bungie Day, as a free gift to the entire Halo 3 community. Legendary Map Pack The Legendary Map Pack is downloadable through Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points. Microsoft dropped the price on July 7, Bungie Day to 600 Microsoft Points. The maps included in this Map Pack are: *'Avalanche' *'Blackout' *'Ghost Town' Mythic Map Pack The Mythic Map Pack is downloadable through Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points, or by getting a code for the map pack through getting a copy of Halo Wars Limited Edition. The maps included in this map pack are: Assembly Orbital Sand Box Heroic Map Pack The Heroic Map Pack is downloadable through Xbox Live Marketplace. Previously an 800 point purchase, it is now available as a free download. The maps included in this Map Pack are: *'Rat's Nest' *'Standofff' *'Foundry' ODST Map Pack (Mythic Map pack part 2) The ODST Map pack (also known as the "Mythic Map Pack part 2") is an upcoming map pack being released with Halo 3: ODST. It will be available on Xbox LIVE marketplace as a standalone map pack sometime after the release of ODST. It is still unknown what the map pack will officially be called. The maps included in this map pack are: *'Citadel' *'Heritic' *'Longshore' Game Variants *Assault A team only gametype. Take the bomb to the designated spot and defend it untill it blows up. Has one bomb/multiple bomb variants. Default Variants: Assault Neutral Bomb One Bomb Attrition Bomb Matchmaking Variants *Capture The Flag A classic, team only gametype. Grab the enemy flag and take it back to base. Has single/multiple flag variants. Default Variants: Multi Flag One Flag Tank Flag Attrition Flag Matchmaking Variants *Infection An official adaptation of the old honour rules custom gametype Zombies. There are two groups of players, humans and zombies. The zombies must kill all human players, "infecting" them and causing them to respawn as zombies. The humans try to survive to the end of the round. Default Variants: Infection Save One Bullet Alpha Zombie Hide and Seek Matchmaking Variants *Juggernaut Work together to take out the Juggernaut. Has different variants, such as killing the Juggernaut make you become him. Or whoever the Juggernaut kills becomes the Juggernaut. Default Variants: Juggernaut Mad Dash Ninjanaut Matchmaking Variants *King of the Hill Either a free for all or team game. Hold the hill for a specific amount of time. The crazy variant makes the hill move position. Default Variants: Crazy King Team King Mosh Pit Matchmaking Variants *Oddball Either free for all or a team game. Hold onto the oddball for a specific amount of time. You cannot fire weapons when holding the oddball, but have a one hit kill melee. (Default) Default Variants: Oddball Team Oddball Low Ball Ninja Ball Rocket Ball Matchmaking Variants *Slayer The classic deathmatch. Can either be team or free for all. The one (team or individual) who reaches the points target first wins. Default Variants: *Slayer Team Slayer Rockets Eliminatio Duel Matchmaking Variants *Territories Capture the enemy territories or defend your own. The variants include defense/offense or all territories starting neutral. Default Variants: Territories Land Grab Flag Rally Matchmaking Variants *VIP Team game. Kill the enemy VIP to earn points. Variants include each team having a VIP and having to escort your VIP to specific locations. Default Variants: VIP One Sided VIP Escort Influential VIP Skulls Skulss in Halo 3 are used to gameplay more interesting. Some of the skulls may help you, some may make the game harder and some are just there for fun. Here are the list of skulls and what they do and how to get them: This Skull is located in the beginning of the second level “Crow’s Nest”, the very room you start in. Hanging down from the ceiling is some piping. On top of this piping, on the side nearest to the large display (the one that Hood appears on) lies the “Black Eye Skull”. You can gain access to the pipes a few different ways. Effect - When you lose shield, the only way to get it back is to melee an enemy. The “Blind Skull” is the first of the Silver Skulls in Halo 3, and can be found in the first mission, “Sierra 117″. It is located relatively close to the beginning of the mission. After your first encounter with the Gold Armor Brute, Two enemy dropships will appear a bit further down the stream. Go towards the dropship that is furthest away, and stay on the right side of the stream. Continue along the right (towards the cliff edge), and a rock will jut out a bit over the large lake. The Blind Skull is located on this rock. Effect - You lose your HUD when this skull is turned on. You won’t see your weapons, shield, radar, etc. The “Catch Skull” can be found on the fourth level, in the first area where you need to destroy the Wraith Tanks. When you enter this area, do not eliminate the Wraith Tanks (The skull appears when the tanks appear, and disappears when the tanks are destroyed). The Skull is located on top of the circular building next to the Anti-Air Tank. You can access the roof using a grenade jump, or jumping on the back of a hog. Correction by Ace Elitoidier: You can destroy the AA Wraith but not the average Wraith. If you destroy or drive the AA Wraith, the skull will still be there. Effect - Your Enemies throw LOTS of grenades. The “Cowbell Skull” is found on the level “The Ark”, and marks the third Silver Skull found in the game. It’s fairly far into the level, so it takes a bit of time to find it. Begin by heading all the way to the part of the level where you battle the Scarab. After defeating it, look in the middle of the desert area which you battled it in for a fairly large structure (it’s the building you see if you are at the bottom of the ramp you are supposed to go up, and turn to look in the opposite direction). Inside of this structure are several Gravity Lifts (shown below). Take one of these for later. Next, head up the huge ramp, and head inside of the building (the one with the cartographer inside). Pass through a few of the rooms in this building, and you’ll eventually come to a room with a whole lot of Explosive crates. Right after this room is a Staircase/Hallway that leads to the level below. The Skull is located at the top of the room, at the point where you turn on the staircase to head for the next part of the slope. There are four platforms above you, the Skull is on the uppermost of these platforms. Use the Gravity Lift to jump up to it, and there you have it! Effect - Explosions become much bigger in the game. This skull requires a bit of grenade jumping skill/luck. You can find the “Famine Skull” on the sixth level, near the point where the path you follow branches off into two sections (one leading to the area where you need to let the tanks across the bridge, and the other leading towards the area where you meet up with the frigate). Take the right path, as you would if you were completing the mission, and you’ll notice a structure above you / to the left of you (near the area where you encounter a few ghosts). You need to scale the rocks to the right of the structure, and then travel across it so that you pass 3 of the large support beams extending into the cliffs. Inside of the fourth support beam, lies the Famine Skull. A well placed grenade should have you up there in no time! Effect - Enemies drop 50% of the ammo they usually drop. The Fog Skull is found on the level “Floodgate“, at the very beginning of the level. As you are walking down from the anti-air gun you destroyed in the previous mission, you encounter a ramp (next to a missile launcher). Around this ramp, you hit a checkpoint. At this point, you should also hear a marine yelling, “There! Over There!”. You have a small window of opportunity at this point, but it is fairly easy to get the Fog Skull. Look up, and to the right, directly at the roof of the building next to the missle launcher. There is a single flood form (not to be mistaken with the two other flood forms jumping in front of you) which is holding the skull. Kill him before he jumps, and he will drop the skull down to the ground where you can retrieve it. Too early, and the skull will get stuck on the roof though, so just time it carefully. Effect - “You’ll miss those eyes in the back of your head.” You lose your motion sensor. This is one of the more fun Silver Skulls in Halo 3. The “Grunt Birthday Party Skull” is located on the second mission, “Crow’s Nest”, just before the area where you team up with the Arbiter (it’s the piping area where you see Drones buzzing in and out of an array of pipes). Just before you jump down the pipe to meet up with the Arbiter, stop at the ledge, and look directly below you. Along the wall that you drop down, there is a small ledge with a green arrow pointing backwards. Jump onto this ledge (rather than all the way down), and go inside this secret room. The skull is in the dead center of the room. Effect - When you get a headshot on an enemy Grunt, they will explode into confetti, and you’ll hear children cheer, “Yay!” in excitement. The “Iron Skull” is located at the very end of the first level, “Sierra 117″. It is located behind the building where Sgt. Johnson is being held captive, up on the roof. You can gain access to the roof on the far right side of the building. Travel all the way over to the left side of the roof, and the Skull will be concealed in the corner. Effect - If you die, you restart from the beginning of the level. The Skull is located in the level, “The Covenant”. After defeating the Scarabs, and going inside, get to the location with all 7 Ring Holograms. You must jump through the rings in a specific order. That order is as follows (1 is at the entrance, 7 is at the end): 4 6 5 4 5 3 4 NOTE: YOU MUST COMPLETE THE LEVEL IN ORDER TO GAIN THE SKULL. These rings also produce the notes: E G F# E F# D E Effect - Unlocks hidden dialogue throughout Halo 3’s campaign. This is probably the easiest Golden skull in the game to get. It is located in the very beginning of the final level in Halo 3. Begin by heading into the canyon, but hug the right wall. Very soon, you will notice that there is a turn to the right that is off the normal trail. Head a bit down this path, and the “Mythic Skull” will be sitting there. Effect - All enemies have double their usual health. The “Thunderstorm Skull” can be found on the level, “The Covenant”, after you take command of one of the Hornet vehicles. Fly towards the second force field generator (the one the Arbiter disabled), and land. The skull is waiting at the very top, at the end of the ramp extending over the sea. Effect - All enemies are given a field promotion, and ranked up to their next available level. The “Tilt Skull” is found on the level “Cortana”, in the circular room where Cortana mentions that she “Likes to play games too…”. It’s a bit difficult to get to, as it requires getting on top of the ceiling of the room. Upon entering the room, head towards the left side where you will see some mushroom shaped extrusions along the wall. Get on top of these, and then look up and towards the right for another set of extrusions. Jump to these. From here, you should be able to jump on top of the ceiling of the room, where the Tilt Skull lies in the center. Effect - Makes enemy resistance much greater. For example, Brute power armor becomes nearly impossible to take out with nearly anything except for plasma bursts. The “Tough Luck Skull” is found on the third level, at the point in the level when the huge covenant cruiser flies overhead. On your left is some large piping following the road you are walking on. Underneath this piping are some support beams that extend out over a cliff. Jump onto the first of these beams, and travel to the end of it. Look to your left, and the Tough Luck Skull will be sitting on a rock extending from a cliff edge. Effect - Your enemies never back down and charge at you more often.